Why is Medicaid important?
Medicaid is the single largest federal grant program to states, accounting for 40 percent of all federal grant funding given to states. Transportation grants account for 10 percent; education for 4 percent and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (public assistance funding) for 6 percent. Policy and budgetary decisionmaking related to Medicaid typically require considerable legislative attention. Medicaid coverage has become essential to the wellbeing of a large number of citizens throughout the country. .Medicaid covered 12 percent of the total U.S. population in 1998, compared to 9.1 percent in 1978. In 1998, 41.4 million people were enrolled in Medicaid and 40.6 million accessed services. This is an increase from 35.6 million enrollees and 31.2 people served in 1992. Medicaid’s role is even more important for particular groups of the population, however. Each year, more than one-third of the births in the United States are covered by Medicaid. Medicaid covers 25 percent of childre
